The Snowman Trail at Baddesley Clinton

Baddesley Clinton is a preserved medieval moated manor house that was the historic home of the Ferrers family for over 500 years, acting as a sanctuary for persecuted Catholics in the process. Now operating under the careful stewardship of the National Trust, it is currently playing host to a dozen sculptures based upon the much-loved Snowman character from the Raymond Briggs storybooks, each representing one of the Twelve Days of Christmas...

- Comet -

Trip Log: Tuesday 30th December 2025 whereby the 09:48 stopper train gets me over to New Street so that I can briefly brave the mayhem of Birmingham's Bull Ring. The Second City of course is still amidst its own festive public art trail with reindeer at various central locations. I’ve chipped away at them almost incidentally this year but I’m pleased to claim Comet to flesh out my collection - candy cane antlers and an “I wish it could be Christmas everyday” collar inscription are the standout aspects of this design along with holly leaves, blushing pink cheeks and a big bold red nose. At least I'm spared the perils of any shopping sales!

- A Memorable Moated Entrance -

Proceeding to Olton, I meet Bookworm Bygrave for the onward journey beyond Knowle into Warwickshire. Emily used to work at both Baddesley Clinton and Packwood House so knows these properties very well, with the Baddesley volunteers advising of just how busy it's been for them with the Snowman Trail proving a real hit with visitors. Tickets for the guided house tours have already sold out so we'll be concentrating on Snowman-spotting, but there's much to admire aesthetically walking around the perimeter of the moat. It is thought that the manor here may have originated in the 13th century, and one notorious owner was Nicholas Brome who murdered the parish priest (possibly on this very site) and thus had to rebuild the nearby church as penance for his sins. The Ferrers family were resident here for centuries, actively sheltering Catholic priests, and the property continued to be altered through into the 1940s.

- Two Turtle Doves -

To the trail then and we'll follow the sequence of the famous Christmas carol, taking each representation of a bestowed gift in turn. This therefore means starting with 'A Partridge in a Pear Tree' on the cobbled courtyard with its presentation of a dusky blue shell populated by pear branches and a ribbon of verse. 'Two Turtle Doves' is off to the right across a field track and displays a cute courtship theme, prominently showing the titular birds but also making room for swimming turtles and lots of leafage. Backtracking slightly towards the moat, I must declare a particular soft spot for 'Three French Hens' with its Pop Art take on beret-wearing chickens with added reference to the colours of France’s tricolore flag, mais oui!

- Five Gold Rings -

The next batch of sculptures form a well-spaced sequence around the edges of the moat, allowing for excellent views of the house’s architectural mix of medieval and Tudor elements. 'Four Calling Birds' has an autumnal palette of oranges and browns, inspired by floral folk art patterns all topped off with a red scarf and a sense of crunchy leaf fall. At the far right corner of the grounds we discover 'Five Gold Rings', complete with gleaming bands cascading down the design like interlocking hula hoops. In between the rings themselves are colourful patches of wrapping paper-styled stripes and swirls, as if the whole sculpture is a mysterious present part-way through being revealed.

- Ten Lords A Leaping -

Flanking the rear of the property is 'Six Geese A Laying', with nests for its feet and a clutch of newly-deposited eggs on show; 'Seven Swans A Swimming' meanwhile occupies a shadowy corner beneath overhanging trees from whence it portrays an icy pool - Emily loves the way the paint has been allowed to dribble down randomly towards the bottom of the sculpture. 'Eight Maids A Milking' is a blue and white homage to Dutch milkmaids whereas 'Nine Ladies Dancing' has us venturing into the walled garden amongst netting-covered cabbages; this creation boasts a a winter wonderland mountainscape populated by fir trees and musical notation. All of which brings us to another of my personal favourites, 'Ten Lords A Leaping' containing fictional peers from the House of Lords jumping around in their ermine robes.

- Twelve Drummers Drumming -

Two more to go and 'Eleven Pipers Piping' has been positioned inside a corner gazebo, thus making it slightly more secluded in terms of getting selfies. A green hat on top then blends into magical skies as Santa’s sleigh glides past in silhouette, and a scattered ensemble of bagpipe players feature front and rear. Last but not least is 'Twelve Drummers Drumming' as perched atop a slightly raised garden wall next to where the Purple Haze former Dahlia border used to grow. A golden brown gingerbread hue is detectable to the front with a marching band ring of tiny mice drummers on the back - we like it!

- Cake!!! -

We may have completed the trail but there's yet more to see as part of Baddesley Clinton's general attractions. A rummage around the bookshop is definitely on the cards even though nothing much takes Emily’s fancy - we may have to withdraw her Bookworm moniker if this shocking trend continues - whereas there’s temptation to be had in the Barn Restaurant care of restorative mugs of hot chocolate and an indulgent slice of cake apiece. Miss Bygrave opts for a sticky flapjack square and I can’t resist the Black Forest traybake, dotted with squishy glace cherries and a nice thwack of cocoa, all topped with chocolate shavings

- Four Calling Birds -

After a final few Snowman snapshots as we make our exit, we head off for an evening of Barrel Store quizzing in Birmingham (via a relaxing drink at Knowle's Ale Rooms en route). Attic Brewery's outlet in the railway arches under Snow Hill station has become an adopted haunt in recent months, and we're delighted that Zoe and Mike are joining us to bolster our trivia prowess as well as indulging in the on-site Deathrow Pizza possibilities - you effectively build your own from a checklist of available toppings and sauces. As for the quiz, it's a close run thing but Team Hoppy To Beer Here edge to victory by one point, aided by knowledge about John Cena, Oscar winning movies and Prunella Scales. What a way to finish 2025!

Packwood House

Originally a Tudor manor house that was extensively restored by the Ash family in the early-to-mid 20th century, Packwood House is a National Trust property nestled among winding Warwickshire lanes between Dorridge and Lapworth. My only previous visit to the site came with Nick back in October 2020 when access was limited due to ongoing Covid restrictions, but now - in the company of a certain Bookworm Bygrave - I have returned to take a closer look...

- Black Sabbath Mural -

Trip Log: Saturday 16th August 2025 and before any Packwood inspections can commence, I've a little bit of business to attend to in Birmingham. Whether I'll track down every single one of the big 'Bulls in the City' sculptures remains to be seen, but I'm chipping away at collecting them one by one where I can. 'Irresisti-Bull' lurks on John Bright Street and takes inspiration from the distinctive disc cladding of the Selfridges building (albeit in tones of blue rather than silver), making for a great start to the day. Nearby on Navigation Street is yet another Black Sabbath tribute item, this time in the form of an excellent mural along the railway wall; Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward have even autographed the brickwork. 

- Bullkins -

Still on the hunt for more bulls, I'm saddened to note that 'Bull-dozer' on Waterloo Street has been taken away for repairs, although there is happier news that 'Cadbully' is back on display in all its Dairy Moo chocolatey finery. 'Dare to Disco' meanwhile is bright pink with a Take More Chances message over by the Bull Ring, then the indoor malls play host to 'Bullkins' in claret and blue Aston Villa colours as a nod to successful striker Ollie Watkins. I've just time to greet 'Brighter Days Will Come', the Moor Street Station big bull with its depictions of a goldfinch and poppy flowers looking optimistically towards a better future.

- Inside Packwood House -

Indeed, I'm rather hoping for increased brightness today because the weather is resolutely overcast as I proceed to Olton and meet up with Emily. Miss Bygrave knows Packwood pretty well having worked both here and at the moated National Trust property of Baddesley Clinton not far away. Checking in at the visitor reception, we're allocated a house tour slot at 11:45 and are soon admiring the exquisite array of C16th tapestries which seemingly hang in every room. Downstairs we get to marvel at a dining room laid out with gleaming cutlery, then stroll down the Long Gallery to the Great Hall, which almost unbelievably used to be a cow barn!

- Bathroom Fittings -

Much of what we see inside the house today is the work of Graham Baron Ash, a Birmingham industrialist who painstakingly restored Packwood House over twenty years in the 1920s and 30s prior to donating the place to the National Trust. The upstairs quarters include two regal bedrooms - one named for Queen Mary, the other Queen Margaret of Anjou - with treasured possessions throughout. The Ireton Bathroom has stunning blue and white Delft tiling plus luxurious lions head tap fittings, no expense spared it seems. Apparently the house has two main doors, one for travelling to Birmingham and the other for going to Leamington.

- Glorious Gardens -

Despite extensive alterations, you can still get an impression of the initial residence that was constructed for the Fetherston family circa 1570, and we enjoy contemplating the frontage as seen from the wider grounds. Packwood is blessed to have gorgeous gardens where although the longed-for sunshine is reluctant to put in an appearance, it's nevertheless a real treat to mingle amidst the herbaceous borders discovering swathes of beautiful dahlias. The Yew Garden is a sight to behold, packed with topiary trees some of which are over 350 years old. The layout is attributed to representing 'The Sermon on the Mount' with twelve larger apostle trees culminating in a spiral path that leads you up beneath The Master yew. It takes careful maintenance over several months each year to care for these important historic specimens.

- Ring Toss on the Lawn -

Beyond the immediate gardens, Packwood is set within around 150 acres of mixed parkland, woodland and meadow. We take a turn around the ornamental lake, spotting a heron stealthily eyeing up its next catch. Back on the lawns below the main house, a selection of traditional games can be played such as skittles and beanbag archery. We give the Ring Toss a try with me hoping to gain revenge for Emily's recent winning streak (Moseley Old Hall quoits, Flight Club darts - she's gaining quite a resume). Whilst I would definitely argue I had the greater throwing consistency in amassing a perfectly respectable score of 60, the Bygrave luck still holds when Emily's penultimate throw picks out the centre peg for a 25 bonus to take victory.

- A Butterfly Character -

During the school holidays, an extra trail has been laid on for children (and big kids like me) to go and find favourite storybook characters across the grounds. Elmer the Elephant thus hides by a lakeside gate, and the Arabian Nights genie - complete with camel - lingers on the lawns. After a break for a hot drink and a slice of chocolate chip-studded banana bread, we continue into the Kitchen Garden to track down The Three Little Pigs, albeit the Big Bad Wolf looks nothing like Jane!! Perhaps my favourite set of cute cut-outs is those for the Very Hungry Caterpillar scattered around the far side of the vegetable patch; the caterpillar itself takes pride of place of course, along with the butterfly, a half-eaten strawberry and an ice cream.

- Packwood Kitchen Garden -

The Kitchen Garden more generally is a recreation of what might have existed to supply the Fetherston family's culinary needs back in the 1700s, cultivating a variety of herbs, fruit and vegetables that fed the inhabitants of the main house. Apple trees and rhubarb stalks blend with cabbages, radishes and broccoli, plus there are pretty flowers sprouting in amongst the onions. The produce grown is used to create sweet and savoury dishes at the on-site cafe, and it would be remiss of me not to mention the Sundials Bookshop which first launched in 2024 in the East Court. Emily was remarkably restrained in only buying one item from the thousands of donated tomes available, and the shop name alludes to the decorative dials which enabled bygone Packwood residents to tell the time over the course of the day. 

- Cider at the Punchbowl -

One aspect of the Nick visit from 2020 that I am keen to see again is Packwood Avenue, a prominent tree-lined path that stretches out to Chessetts Wood Road. It makes for a lovely walk, especially with lambs bleating in the adjacent fields, and the chance to meet a couple of adorable dogs is not to be sniffed at - one of them is an eleven week-old puppy who instantly endears himself by licking my hand by way of a friendly greeting. The afternoon is crowned with beer garden refreshment at the Punchbowl, a very classy pub-restaurant on the Rising Lane/Mill Lane crossroads north of Lapworth. Sharp's Cold River Cider slakes the thirst with the sun teasingly threatening to come out but then hiding again. Cheers!

Moseley Old Hall

Originally an Elizabethan farmhouse but with Victorian modifications, Moseley Old Hall's main claim to fame is as one of the properties that sheltered the retreating King Charles II during the English Civil War. Nowadays owned and preserved by the National Trust, it provides a fascinating insight into that daring royal escape as well as offering a sense of what life was like for those of the Catholic faith during the 17th century...

- Northicote Owl -

Despite living on its Bushbury doorstep for the best part of thirty years, Moseley Old Hall is not a property I'd really visited much so the prospect of properly exploring it is most exciting. The allotted day is Saturday 14th June so I make my way across courtesy of the number 3 bus to Vine Island, reacquainting myself with some very familiar haunts en route. Bee Lane Playing Fields and Northwood Park resonate with childhood memories then I relish the chance to fully investigate more of the new Hampton Park estate where Northicote School once stood. One landscaped community garden patch has become the permanent home of the school's much-loved concrete owl emblem, a feature saved when the wider site was demolished. How many local residents remember having that watching over them when the school was operational?

- It must be down here then... -

Carisbrooke Gardens and Cavalier Circus precede the Moseley Parklands where Westering Parkway has all manner of imaginatively-named cul-de-sacs - one wonders what folks get up to on Wealden Hatch or Bettany Glade, certainly not your typical Wolverhampton street titles. Emerging onto Northycote Lane I follow the brown tourist signs towards Moseley itself, feeling ever further removed from the urban sprawl once narrow lanes and tall hedges take over. I've just about crossed into South Staffordshire when a left turn puts me on the hall's single track driveway - I can hear the faint strains of the M54 motorway not too far distant but otherwise I could be a whole world away from my usual gritty West Midlands settings...

- Moseley Old Hall Frontage -

Back in the 1650s this lane would have formed the main route between Wolverhampton and Cannock, with Moseley Old Hall being one of its most notable residences. First constructed in half-timbered fashion for the merchant Henry Pitt, it would go on to become home to various generations of the Whitgreave family, descendants of whom owned the house until the 1920s. Once my Moseley accomplice Emily arrives, we check out the reception area with its well-stocked bookshop and also have a mooch around the Cow Shed where a Saturday crafts activity is being set up - design your own cow apparently! We're booked onto a guided tour come half past twelve which gives us an hour to explore the grounds beforehand.

- Your Quoits Champion -

One of Moseley's treasured gems is the Knot Garden which was installed in 1962 and based on the 17th century designs laid out by the Reverend Walter Stonehouse at Darnfield. The principle is to have aromatic herbs and shrubs set out intricately within a rectangular frame; clipped trees and little box hedges are the impressive result, it must be a labour of love to keep everything so neat! Just across from here is the orchard, used to grow a variety of heritage species of apples and pears including one called 'Tettenhall Dick'; the fruit trees provide our backdrop to a game of Tudor Quoits where Emily proves remarkably adept at landing rope rings on or near her peg target. I put her beginner's success down to expert tuition from a dapper volunteer in period costume, whereas I was frankly hopeless! 

- King Charles's Hiding Place -

The hour of the tour approacheth so we congregate by the heavily studded oak door through which King Charles gained entry to the building back in 1651, ushered here by the Pendrill family from Chillington having eluded Parliamentary forces at Boscobel. The current house would likely not be very recognisable to Charles although some Elizabeth features survive, encased within the later Victorian brickwork. Our guide Sue has a wealth of knowledge and really brings the tale vividly to mind, explaining about the brewhouse kitchen room before leading us upstairs to reveal a four poster bed the King would once have slept in. A hidden priesthole beside the chimneystack made for a claustrophobic hideaway and it would not have been pleasant in the slightest, what with pots of stale urine on hand to trick any tracker dogs from sniffing the King's scent. The ploy worked because Charles was not discovered here.

- Chapel in the Attic -

Elsewhere during the hour-long tour we learn more about the Whitgreave family and other notable personalities who aided the King's escape, such as Jane Lane from Bentley Hall. A further bedchamber would have been where Thomas Whitgreave held secret discussions with Charles while in the attic is a clandestine chapel used for Catholic congregations, although it would have been necessary to have lookouts and disperse very quickly because such worship was illegal at the time. Charles stayed here from 8th to 10th September 1651, plotting out the next stages of his passage to France, and he would go on to reward those who helped him once restored to the throne from 1660 onwards. At the conclusion of the talk, we decamp to the tearooms for an ever-essential slice of cake before undertaking a further circuit of the surrounding woodland; an elaborate tree hide is especially popular with visiting children.

- Northycote Farm Chickens -

Our final Moseley Old Hall act is to raid the on-site bookshop where Bookworm Bygrave lives up to her nickname by selecting a handful of titles to take home - I'm assured she was very restrained in not buying most of the shop! Northycote Farm is only a matter of minutes away so we head there to admire the herb garden, outhouse privy and an array of poultry birds with rather fine feathers. The farm was owned by the Underhill family with links to Moseley Court, and the surrounding country parkland makes for lovely walking opportunities out towards Waterhead Brook and Devils Elbow. With the predicted thunderstorms leaving us alone, it turned out to be a pretty perfect day all round. Cheers!

Attingham Park

Situated approximately five miles south-east of Shrewsbury, Attingham Park was the Shropshire stately seat of the Hill family (several generations of which had the title of Lord Berwick) and comprises a Regency era mansion set within extensive parklands. Feeling in need of a National Trust fix, it proved the ideal place to while away a sunny Saturday afternoon...

- The Big House -

Trip Log: Saturday 22nd February 2025 and I'll be making the most of a free family day pass which Mother WME won in a recent competition. Judging by how full the car park is, we're not the only ones eager to maximise what feels like a rare day of sunshine, although not all of the visitors will be mooching around the mansion. Having successfully been zapped through at reception, we pass a busy stable block courtyard to approach the main house in all its 1780s finery. Designed by George Steuart, this is undoubtedly an imposing sight constructed from ashlar sandstone with curved colonnade wings and flanking pavilions. 

- Pass the Port please -

The interior of the mansion is used to tell an Upstairs Downstairs-style story of noble life over the centuries. The Ground Floor showrooms convey a distinct sense of opulence associated with grand living and society entertaining, from dining halls with elaborate dessert feasts to an inner library where valuable books are stored inside locked lattice bookcases. Collections of Regency furniture, exquisite silver and precious porcelain represent the tastes and fancies of the Hill family; we particular admire an agriculturally-themed gallery dedicated to the Hereford breed of cattle, or square cows as Jane likes to call them!

- Ringing Requests in the Servants Quarters -

Continuing below into the basement, we can form an impression of what conditions would have been like for Attingham's team of servants. A bell system indicates where in the house someone's attention might be required, and we can inspect the precision of any linen storage or try to avoid bothering the cook in the kitchen. It is intriguing to think just how many roles were involved in keeping everything running, and of the hierarchies these may have entailed. Dinnerplates record the names and duties of various grooms, scullery maids, butlers and footmen, although I think I'd have probably been the 'Odd Man' if in service myself!

- Attingham Park Architecture -

Taking the opportunity to try on hats of differing persuasions, we note a larder stocked high with chutney jars and manage not to get press-ganged into any washing chores. Back outside, the service yard is a feast for the eyes in its own right and it's only proper to pause for a cake courtesy of Lord Berwick's Tearooms - the scones are virtually sold out so I placate myself with a date and pecan flapjack as a tasty treat. The wider grounds encompass woodland walks, riverside pasture and landscaped parklands, plus at this time of year there is a spectacular snowdrop trail to follow through the trees. 

- Forcing Rhubarb in the Walled Garden -

It might be the tail end of winter but that won't preclude us from wandering around the Walled Garden, lovingly restored as a provider of home-grown fruit and vegetables after a period when the facility had become almost abandoned. You don't expect much to be growing in February yet there are hints of life among the furrowed beds while the ceramic pots used to force rhubarb are all lined up in a neat little row. Helpful notices advise us as to which plants propagate best on south- or west-facing walls as a dragonfly sculpture takes pride of place.

- Garden Glasshouse -

Later in the year, we are led to understand that fruit will be trained across the brickwork albeit one quarter of the garden is retained as standard lawn which gets mowed once per annum. An inviting doorway leads then into the glasshouse section which offers fledgling plants extra protection from the elements; the gardeners bothy is occasionally open and boasts displays pertaining to all things horticultural. An adjacent orchard is a pretty spot, covering two acres and said to contain as many as 37 different varieties of apple. 

- River Tern Scenery -

In terms of its topographical positioning, Attingham Park is set on the banks of the River Tern just north of its confluence with the River Severn at Atcham. It's a delight to simply roam the woodland trails even if I am keeping half an eye on the Wolves score (playing Bournemouth away in a crucial Premier League fixture). Doubling back past the big house, we briefly cross into the Deer Park to see part of the 130-strong herd of fallow deer from a suitably respectful distance - they seemed quite calm considering there was a Woolf in their enclosure! The herd was established in 1798 by Thomas, the second Lord Berwick, and is nowadays managed by a team of rangers under the guidance of the National Trust.

- A Mytton & Mermaid pint -

Our Attingham appraisals concluded, we switch to pub matters in which case the obvious place for refreshment is the Mytton & Mermaid, a Brunning and Price affair on the B4380 directly opposite the park's gatehouse entrance and its Qui Uti Scit Ei Bona inscribed arch. Knowing in advance this was likely to be expensive, I am nevertheless pleased to see a fine range of local cask ales and ciders while there's no denying this is a high end establishment with refined dining settings. Long Mynd Cider and Holden's Mild are duly sampled, sitting in the picturesque beer garden taking in gorgeous views of Atcham Bridge and the River Severn basking in the sunlight. News of a rare Wolves win brightens the mood still further, making for a pretty perfect afternoon all round. Cheers!